Absence of Malice (1981): cast, story & where to watch
1981 · Film · ★ 6.7
Released in 1981, Absence of Malice is a thriller, drama and romance film directed by Sydney Pollack, running about 116 minutes. “In America can a man be guilty until proven innocent?” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Megan Carter is a reporter duped into running an untrue story on Michael Gallagher, a suspected racketeer. He has an alibi for the time his crime was allegedly committed—but it involves an innocent party. When he tells Carter the truth and the newspaper runs it, tragedy follows, forcing Carter to face up to the responsibilities of her job when she is confronted by Gallagher.
Who’s in it. Absence of Malice stars Sally Field as Megan Carter, Paul Newman as Michael Colin Gallagher, Bob Balaban as Elliott Rosen and Don Hood as James A. Quinn, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.7/10, Absence of Malice has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $40.7M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Absence of Malice page.
If you liked it. Fans of Absence of Malice tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, Pulp Fiction, Parasite and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Absence of Malice (1981)?
- In US, Absence of Malice is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Absence of Malice worth watching?
- Absence of Malice holds an audience score of 6.7 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy thriller, drama and romance. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Absence of Malice?
- Absence of Malice stars Sally Field, Paul Newman, Bob Balaban, Don Hood and Josef Sommer.
- When was Absence of Malice released?
- Absence of Malice was released in 1981, with a runtime of about 116 minutes.